New multi-use park welcomes Brewster dogs

Friday

Aug 17, 2012 at 12:01 AMAug 17, 2012 at 5:17 PM

behind the police station on approximately nine acres of wooded land that the town recreation commission hopes to convert into a multi-use park for dogs, skateboarders, walkers, basketball players, picnickers, volleyballers, horseshoe players, bikers and bocce-ball enthusiasts, to mention just a few.

Rich Eldred

The dogs that were summarily booted from Drummer Boy Park may soon be frolicking freely in the “Jewel of Brewster.”

Where is this jewel?

Just where it’s always been, behind the police station on approximately nine acres of wooded land that the town recreation commission hopes to convert into a multi-use park for dogs, skateboarders, walkers, basketball players, picnickers, volleyballers, horseshoe players, bikers and bocce-ball enthusiasts, to mention just a few.

“A multi-use park would make it more of a destination, a jewel for the town, something to be proud of,” declared Selectman John Dickson. “Whatever the next steep is to push the ball down the road I’ll take it.”

“This could be a beautiful park for the town if it’s properly done so that’s why we’d like to take the reins and try to do it,” added Roland Bassett, chairman of the recreation commission.

He’ll get his chance as the selectmen voted 3-2 to transfer control of an unspecified amount of land behind the police station to the commission, pending approval of the town attorney.

It turns out while the selectmen and board of health have been wrestling with the issue of dogs at Drummer Boy Park and a possible dog park for Brewster the recreation was conceiving a plan for the land – which was also under consideration for a possible dog park.

“We’ve spent about a year on this,” Bassett said. “We could get everybody involved and I think we could get a lot of funding donated. I ran it by the Community Preservation Committee and they are very into a multi-use park. A dog park would serve some people but not a lot. A multi-use park would serve a lot of people.”

Originally the selectmen were presented with two dog park alternatives: a fenced in area at Drummer Boy or a two-acre parcel behind the police station. In the end neither concept moved forward and the board of health voted to ban dogs from Drummer Boy on March 20. A summer resident, Jordan Sprechman, filed a lawsuit against the town April 13, seeking to overturn the ban.

In recent weeks Dan Rabold, chairman of the board of selectmen, has been working on a plan, targeting the same parcel, as a potential multi-use park – with a self-sustaining dog park.

“I didn’t learn what you were planning until this moment,” Rabold told Bassett.

“The purpose of the rec commission coming here is for them to take over and run it and maintain it,” said Selectman Ed Lewis. “The problem is who is going to maintain and run the park? Who is going to collect the funds? We don’t have the wherewithal to do all this. They do it all the time.”

The rec-commission oversaw the development of the Freeman’s Way Fields.

There are advantages to the land as a park site, it is right off Route 124, there is plenty of parking and more would be added, the land is level, water is on site and it is zoned for a park.

Some neighbors are concerned.

Originally there were 44-acres there, some of that is now a cemetery and the police station takes up another chunk. The town plan allows for a multi-use field (soccer/field hockey etc.), a basketball court, skateboard park, a bike/walking trail, new parking and a buffered by trees fenced-in 80,000 square-foot (2-acre) dog park. There is all a 12,000-square foot set-aside for small dogs and another potential acre add on to the dog park.

The recreation department will apply for Community Preservation Act funds.

A community group, Friends of the Brewster Skate Area, is advocating for the skateboard park and they’ve pointed out Brewster youngsters go to Wellfleet, Chatham, Orleans and Hyannis to skateboard.

“When they get to a certain age there are not as many activities to participate in,” noted skatepark advocate Kelly Moore. “It’s a great activity. Some kids are not attracted to physical sports. It’s a really social thing, the take videos of each other, do tricks. I’ve seen a lot of creativity come out of it and I think it’s important to have a safe place to do it.”

Lewis moved to transfer the land from the selectmen to the recreation commission. Selectman James Foley noted the original 44 acres was for general purposes and other departments might want to utilize it.

“I’d love to hear about the though process of other departments,” he said. “I think it would be appropriate to bring this to town meeting. I want to hear about funding and staffing. Who pays to build it? Who pays to maintain it? I want to bring [Police] Chief Koch into the discussion. And have him give us a 20 to 30 year plan for what he’ll need for space.”

Selectman Peter Norton said he’d spoken to the chief and he didn’t indicate that he needed more room. Bassett said he’d leave a 150-foot buffer between the station and the park.

“If we can transfer to (the recreation department) they’re geared to start right away,” Lewis argued.

“This is a high priority for us,” Dickson said.

“I can’t vote for this. It’s too wide open. We don’t know the bounds of the property,” Foley said. “I think it borders on the illegal.”

Rabold and suggested they get input for the town counsel.

Lewis noted the town wouldn’t allocate funds to build the park before the spring town meeting so the park wouldn’t be ready for next year. It would be built in phases with the dog park constructed first.

“We’ll let the fund-raising catch up with the phases,” Bassett said.

“This is a complex project and will cost a few dollars,” Town Administrator Charles Sumner said.

The transfer was approved with Foley and Rabold voting no. The request for design funding should come at the fall town meeting.